On January 4, 2011 – exactly 1 year to the day of my starting Round 1 of P90X, I met the man who changed my life.

Tony Horton was doing a book signing for his new book “Bring It!” in Melville, Long Island. A coach I know from Twitter (@TabBenedict) told me about it and asked if I wanted to join her. I could think of no better way to celebrate the anniversary of the “new me” than to do a live workout with the man who started it all AND have an opportunity to meet him and have a photo with taken with him.

The one part of this that had me nervous was the “live workout”. I had never, ever, EVER participated in a group workout before. (I don’t count gym class back in junior high school…if you do, well, that was my last group workout.)

I have always done my workouts alone. Well, I did a few with my husband during our adventures in Insanity, but I wasn’t even a fan of that. For some reason I have always just worked out by myself…it’s usually my time…when I get to clear my mind and just do what I need to do.

Anyway, off to Long Island I went to meet Tab and Tony Horton!

When I entered to room at the hotel where the event was being held Tony was already talking to the crowd and I felt nervous. There were more people than I expected in the room. Being that it was in Long Island on a Tuesday night I didn’t think there would be a good 200+ people there. We quickly found another coach we knew (@MariaPaulercio) who claimed a spot as ours and I had no idea what to expect next.

We listened to Tony talk, then some people shared their success stories and before I knew it he had us warming up for the group workout….ok….I can do this. Right?

Tony took us through a series of push-ups, lunges and ab moves that left me exhausted and sore as heck! I was mad at myself for having to take a break during a Kenpo sequence but it was about 1,000 degrees in that room and I started feeling lightheaded. (It also gave me a chance to take a little video.)

At the end of the workout the lines formed to meet Tony and Tab, myself and my husband had a chance to talk and joke around.

When it was my turn to meet him I truly didn’t know what to say besides “thank you”. I took my photo with him and then listened to him and my husband joke about the “Tony and the Kids” DVD we brought with us to have signed for my son.

Overall it was a very surreal experience. I met the person who helped me to change my life, conquered my fear of the dreaded group workout and met a wonderful person who I had been speaking to on-line for almost a year.

I was upset I didn’t catch a pic with you and Brian. I was so overwhlemed in there I forgot half of the stuff I wanted to do….like a vlog. Lol. I’m sure we will meet up at another event. It’s nice to have a local coach to meet up!

Hey, I was there too! It so happens that I started P90X almost a year ago. It was a birthday present to myself (and my parents chipped in $100 too). I have been struggling through round 4, and I think lack of sleep is the main cause. I am reading Tony’s book now and looking to set things right by my birthday again next month.

It’s funny that you mention working out alone all the time, because I am the same way. I felt comfortable with that group of people, though, despite the fact that I had some very fit individuals around me. I am somewhere in the middle (of the room in your video, as well as my fitness level). This year my goal is to become one of those “warriors” Tony talks about in the book.